Recent incidents have included property destruction, an inmate’s death and a costly air ambulance trip.

Authorities said inmates started destroying jail surveillance cameras on April 30. Surveillance video shows an inmate beating the camera with his fist until the camera falls down.

The disturbance lasted for two days. The Ozark Police Special Response Team was called in to help isolate unruly prisoners.

"If it wasn't for the city officers helping us here at the jail when we have something, there's no way we could run this jail,” Sheriff Anthony Boen said.

The issues continued, and Cody Franklin, 20, died while inside the jail on May 11.

In a statement released by prosecutor David Gibbons, Franklin died after an altercation with inmates and police while behind bars.

In his statement, Gibbons said Franklin was stunned eight times in approximately eleven minutes by Ozark police officers.

The medical examiner listed being stunned repeatedly as a contributing factor in Franklin's death. Meth was also found in Franklin's system.

Attorney Troy Gaston, who represents Franklin's family, said he is preparing to file a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against the sheriff’s and police departments.

Dalton Davis, who was being housed in the jail after being arrested in July on allegations of sex crimes involving teenage boys, was beaten by inmates.

Davis had to be flown to a Fort Smith hospital for emergency treatment. The flight cost the county nearly $30,000.

In addition to a poor layout, staffing is a major problem at the jail.

At times, there have been as few as two jailers to watch over inmates. In addition, the jailers are also responsible for answering 911 calls, and dispatching police, firefighters, paramedics and deputies to emergency calls throughout the county.

"We are understaffed and it makes it tough to do our job,” Boen said.

Franklin County Judge Rickey Bowman, who is responsible for overseeing and running the county government, said a new jail is needed.

Bowman said the best option is to ask voters to approve a sales tax increase to build and operate a new facility.

"We have Interstate 40 out here,” Bowman said. “There would be some folks helping pay that tax. The citizens wouldn't have to pay it all, although a sales tax is hard on our folks that have a fixed income. The only other option would be to ask for a millage increase on property taxes."

Bowman said the question could be put to voters in March, if not sooner. But if voters reject a plan to build a new jail, he said the future of the current jail is bleak.

"I expect (the CDFRC) to ask the attorney general to close our jail, or make it a 24-hour facility," Bowman said.

If the current jail is shut down, deputies will essentially become transport guards, taking inmates back and forth to other jails in other counties.

Bowman said the expense of housing and transporting prisoners to other facilities would be too expensive for Franklin County.

The county said it is working to put together design plans and a cost estimate for build a new jail. Those plans are expected to be completed by Sept. 30.